Missouri Mother Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter After Infant Found Dead in Oven

Kansas City, Missouri – A Missouri mother has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after her 1-month-old daughter was tragically found dead inside an oven earlier this year.

Mariah Thomas, 26, faces the serious charge following a grand jury indictment last week. The incident occurred in February when authorities responded to a call about a possible child in distress.

According to court documents, Thomas claimed to have accidentally placed her daughter in the oven while attempting to put the infant down for a nap. The horrifying discovery was made by an unidentified adult residing in the home who received a frantic call from Thomas.

Upon arriving at the residence, authorities found the infant deceased inside the oven, exhibiting severe thermal injuries. A baby blanket with significant burn marks was also found in the living room.

“We appreciate all first responders who worked this scene and the prosecutors who went to the scene in order to issue these charges,” Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a press release. “We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy, and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life. We trust the criminal justice system to respond appropriately to these awful circumstances.”

Neighbor Corinne Foreman described hearing a distressing yell followed by the sound of sirens. “And the next thing you know, I just heard, ‘They’re gone. They’re gone,'” Foreman recalled.

Thomas was initially charged with one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, to which she pleaded not guilty. The recent grand jury indictment added the involuntary manslaughter charge.

Her trial is scheduled to begin on January 13, 2024. Thomas remains in custody on a $100,000 bond.